


Cath's Return

by WowWaldo



Category: Momodora (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fantasy, Horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:28:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26851471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WowWaldo/pseuds/WowWaldo
Summary: An alternate ending that leads to a new beginning. Kaho has to face the final boss, but not before she has to overcome one last trial.





	1. The Final Fight

Kaho had reached the Queen’s Chamber; surviving the horrors and defeating the monsters that plagued the lands, enduring each hardship with only a sliver of ever-waning hope. 

The hope that she could end this nightmare, hope that she would avenge the fallen, and hope that she could save the remnants of the survivors.

Sadly, this nightmare wouldn’t stop even if she pinched her cheeks or thought happy thoughts. The journey was like walking into a tsunami, the waves crashing against her body, struggling to breathe, but continuing to move forward. 

Right now, she was at the center of it all; seeing the accursed monster that manipulated the queen and turned the once fair lands into a dangerous land of despair and doom. 

The Accursed Queen sat on the throne comfortably. Kaho standing was taxing, her lungs begged for air, her legs shook nervously, and her focus wavered knowing this was the final battle. 

Suddenly the Accursed Queen took notice of Kaho. “It appears I have a visitor.”

“Then you know why I’m here,” Kaho said, drawing her Sacred Leaf, “it's to end this nightmare!”

“Ever since you've set foot into my domain," The Accursed Queen spoke, rising from her seat, "all you’ve done is hurt, my lovely citizens."

“I’ve done no such thing.”

“My my.” the Queen said and gauged Kaho’s reactions, “Poor Fennel Pardonner, she was right to hate me, you could’ve teamed up with her. That girl was always so impulsive. Instead of teaming up, you killed her.”

“It was in self-defense!” Kaho defended herself. 

“You even killed her sister, the Archpriestess Choir, who only sought to avenge her one and only sister. Did you know they were orphans?” The queen teased, “They were the most dutiful and hardworking pair I ever encountered. A shame she’s gone as well.” 

The Accursed Queen cackled.

Kaho couldn’t hide the shame of her actions against the death of innocents, however, she knew the creature who stood before her had done more vile things. 

“How about Magnolia and Lupiar? Even after all that transpired, they did all they could to protect the citizens from monsters such as you.”

“I am no monster!” Kaho snarled. Her temper had shortened at the audacity of the accursed being. _She’s just trying to get under my skin but… it’s working._

“A monster didn’t save my dearly devoted Cath.” the inhuman queen taunted, that one struck a stake into Kaho’s weary and saddened heart. “She did desert the knights, but no one’s perfect.”

The Accursed Queen tapped her chin playfully. 

_What is she up to?_ Kaho lowered her stance, trying to ease the tense and pressured muscles.

“Oh, I know! Because I’m so merciful, I shall give one devoted knight another chance to live— something you failed to do.” With a snap of her fingers, a ball of darkness arose from the ground.

Kaho readied her holy leaf.

The darkness began to take shape, the signs on the circle glowed. A beam appeared and caused a familiar knight to slowly appear. Kaho held her breath. 

_That can’t be!_

The blood-red moon’s light reflected against the knight’s armor, it shimmered in the light. Kaho stared at the being; its eyes were dark and sported the same damaged and nicked armor her comrade wore. She studied the being’s face: It had every blemish and scratch her comrade had as well. 

The creature took her stance, identical to when her comrade’s stance when they fought the Heretical Arsonist together. 

Kahi called out to the creature of darkness, pleading for that this was just some illusion. 

It finally opened its mouth and said, “Kill…me…Kaho, please.” it sounded so hollow and rasp. 

**So desperate.**

Kaho turned her attention to the Accursed Queen. She tried to ask questions but all her words were lost and her throat dried. 

“Yes, this is the real one, I dragged her soul back before she could fully depart, now she’s under my command.” the Accursed Queen explained, “To fight such a friend, watch them die, see them alive, only to be forced to kill them: life truly is cruel sometimes.” the queen laughed. She held two fingers respectively, “Your options are these. 1. Join me and you can spend your life with the Cath the Knight or —” 

The puppet Cath slashed the air, threateningly and desperately trying to not move against her own will.

“—2. Die by her blade." 

Suddenly, Kaho recalled one of the things Cath said after the battle against the flaming arsonist that echoed in her mind: _Once this is all over, I'd like to test my blade against you someday._

Kaho stared into the almost empty hues of Cath.   
...  
 **[Cinder Chambers]**

The female knight crashed through a set of wooden bars. Her body skidded against the murky waters but she returned to her fighting stance in a moment’s notice. She saw a familiar priestess from Lun eyeing her with caution and curiosity. 

With a simple nod and gesture the knight gave, the priestess was informed of the threat that loomed closeby. The Lun priestess held her position.

Footsteps against the water below them echoed towards them. The shadowy figure appeared close. The figure was a woman in bandages; the bandages all over had scratches and burn marks all around. 

The woman paused and stared at Cath and onto Kaho. She lowered herself, arms tucked under her stomach, the air around drew itself closer to her, like a star ready to implode. 

“Kaho—”

“Ready.” Kaho drew her bow and readied her quiver full of poison-tipped arrows. 

A geyser of flames appears around the arsonist, her shadowy figure remained still as if basking in the heat. The moment the geyser vanished, the arsonist’s created a whip of fire. With a flick, she sent the ends towards Cath. 

Cath evaded while the Arsonist summoned compressed spheres of fire. The Arsonist sent the spheres flying. Cath rolled again, now trying to cut the distance between the two as Kaho dodged while firing more poison arrows. 

The Arsonist ignored Kaho’s arrows and focused on the knight. A few of the arrows reached its mark, yet had no impact. The Arsonist scoffed as the arrows fell to the ground and burned to charcoal. 

“My skin's denser than those silly arrows, too bad for you~” The Arsonist teased. 

Kaho stopped firing her arrows. 

The Arsonist fired another array towards Kaho and failed to notice Cath had disappeared. 

“ARGHH!” Two deep slash wounds sunk in the center of her back in an X-letter. The Arsonist snarled and turned to attack Cath. 

Her back turned and unguarded, Kaho fired her poison-tipped arrow at the open wound, sinking deep into her flesh. 

The Arsonist hissed and staggered. Kaho checked her quiver.

_That was my last one…_

In a fit of rage, the Arsonist grabbed Cath by the throat and sent her flying into the cobblestone walls. The cobblestone pieces broke into smaller forms and fell beside Cath’s feet.

Cath grunted in pain, unable to keep her balance. Huffing, the Arsonist walked menacingly towards the wounded Knight. 

Kaho switched to her main weapon; a large red autumn leaf that was purified back in Lun. She held it in her hands and got into her stance, charging towards Arsonist. 

This time, Arsonist heard the sounds of Kaho's footsteps against the puddles of murky water and panting to reach her. 

The Arsonist snapped her fingers and sent a wide array of fire orbs towards Kaho. 

Kaho narrowly evaded the flame spheres. The fire barely missed her chestnut-colored hair. 

The Arsonist turned and surprised Kaho had evaded her attack. The moment she saw Kaho's leaf, her mood of rage dipped into a humorous one, “What a pitiful weapon.”

The Arsonist was now in the range of the sacred leaf.

“Oh, a leaf I’m so scared.” She lowered her guard, presenting herself open. “Let’s see how strong that leaf is, then..” 

In three strikes, her magical leaf left deep marks at her chest. The Arsonist let gritted her teeth from the unexpected pain and back stepped away. “W-what is that leaf made of?”

_My leaf and Cath's sword seem to be our only chances of victory. So be it._

“It’s a sacred leaf, blessed by the priests back in Lun. As you can tell, it’s effective against cursed and unholy creatures.” 

"Well, in that case, try this—AHH!"

To Arsonist's surprise, there was the end of a blade sticking out in front of her chest, the end bloody and the pain excruciating. 

Before the Arsonist could make another move, Kaho raised her sacred leaf and struck down with all her might.

“HAH!” Kaho roared and dealt the final strike. 

“D-damn...it…” The Heretical Arsonist choked, her flames finally snuffed as she exploded one last time into nothingness. 

The threat was gone, letting the two catch their breath. 

… 

Kaho inspected the arrows she used from the battle, unsure if they were still usable. To much chagrin, they were all unusable now. 

_This is going to cost a fortune._ Kaho sulked. 

The sounds of steel shoes stepping on the gravel and cobblestone floor caught her attention-- it was Cath. 

“Thank you for your assistance,” Cath asked with her satchel out revealing first-aid supplies. “are you hurt?”

Kaho nodded sideways. “I came out unscathed thanks to you. How are your wounds? I heard a nasty sound when she threw you against the wall."

Cath gave a somewhat defeated laugh, "The damage wasn’t dire, thank the Goddess for that one. I used my Bellflowers so any fractures are healed at least."

"I'm glad to hear that. I must say, you're quite skilled with a sword." Kaho’s eyes wandered to Cath’s sword, “Are all knights that skillful?”

"I'm not that skilled, just strong enough to survive. At least my training paid its’ due.” Cath rubbed the nape of her neck, “You know, it’s my first time seeing a sacred leaf in action. Certainly an interesting way of fending off enemies…. Since you’re still around, perhaps you’ll hear me out.”

"I'm listening." Kaho agreed. 

“Good. I suspected something was amiss up there at the castle. A mysterious fog appeared from the Throne Room of the Castle that spread throughout the city.”

"The same thing happened back in Lun. A small group of skeletons targeted the temples, luckily the head priest had finished imbuing my leaf so the damages were a minimum on my end. Does your Queen know about this situation? Is she well?"

"The Queen I once served was noble and caring, but now she’s turned into a morbid figure. Anything under her direct control is lost, so I’ve deserted her order of knights" Cath explained, "Here’s my proposal: taking down the Queen. You mentioned her curse has reached your homeland. Should you choose to side with me, you’re going to need a special crest.”

“Special crest?” Kaho tilted her head confused. “I take it that it’s to open the barrier up.”

“It was split into four pieces. One of its fragments should be around here… Once you have the four parts, head to the locked door at the entrance of the city.”

"That works for me," Kaho said. "I'll go check ahead for the Crest." 

After searching further in the chambers, Kaho found a glimmering piece of the crest— the same kind Cath told her about prior. She picked the piece and put it in her satchel. She then returned to where Cath was, next to a recently made fire. 

The fire was at the center and a blanket over a large stone. Cath sat on the blanket comfortably while checking for any rations worth eating at the moment. 

“I know I might be overstepping my boundaries, but care to stay and chat by the fire?” Cath asked, making room on the blanket, “A quick rest does the body wonders."

Kaho eyed Cath rather skeptically. 

"I'm sure it'll be more effective than the healing flowers either of us carries. I doubt they’ve ever healed exhaustion as a good rest can." 

Kaho paused. _A moment to rest or continue this endless nightmare?_

She saw the hopeful expression on Cath. 

_My body could use a bit of a rest._

"I'll gladly accept your offer," Kaho smiled gently. It was the first smile she's smiled for what seems like forever. 

Cath offered a freshly brewed cup of tea that was hot thanks to the fire.

"You're quite the hostess," Kaho said, taking a sip, "This tea is marvelous!" 

"It's just tea I bought from a goods shop,” Cath sipped her tea, “so, any plans once this plague is dealt with?" 

"Nothing grand. Maybe stay and help Karst before I leave." Kaho considered her options. “Ultimately, I’ll return to Lun.” 

"Perhaps we could share a nice afternoon of tea and I could… show you around Karst when it's not in such a state as of now." Cath drew a circle with her foot nervously, "I understand if you can't, but—"

"I'd love to." 

Cath blinked and her mouth that was in the shape of ‘O’ turned into a smile.

"Then it's settled, once we take down this curse and help Karst get its bearings, we'll have a nice afternoon together. Maybe for a day if the Goddess’s blessing is on us."

Kaho smiled and nodded, encouraging her new friend's enthusiasm. Her stomach churned knowing of the empty promise that she swore just now. 

“If you hadn’t been here, I’m sure that blazing woman wouldn’t have dropped her guard.” Cath said as the fire crackled and echoed, “I can see why she did, a leaf against fire isn’t exactly effective.” 

“Holy leaves aren't normal leaves. They ward off curses too,” Kaho said. “My shrine’s master in Lun told me taking down enemies with holy weapons helps send them to Heaven.” She brought out her holy leaf with a glint in her eyes, “I’m lucky to have been born there. Well, accepted into that village, I mean.” 

“What’s Lun like?” Cath asked, “I’ve only been to a few villages nearby back when I was training as a knight.”

“Hmmm….it’s like any other village I suppose, lots of farmers, merchants and families like any other village. I do know our temple is a bit bigger than other places, so we’re taught a bit differently than others, I’m one of the few who’s able to wield a holy leaf though?"

“How are you able to wield a Sacred leaf?” 

“We pick the freshest and biggest leaves that fall off the Oaktree at the center of the shrine. We then purify it in holy water, imbue it with blessings, and see who can wield it. To wield it, you just need a high affinity for holy magic.” 

“Can anyone use Sacred leaves?”

“No,” Kaho shook her head, “sadly only people with high amounts of light affinity can use Sacred leaves, people with medium to low light affinity can use certain spells and blessings. Given that I was born with high affinity, it allows me to use a Sacred Leaf. That’s enough about Lun and me. What about you, Cath? How did you become a knight?”

“Me? Well, I could only become a knight because my parents were knights, back when they were alive that is. It’s a long process with training the body and mind whilst studying the laws. When I first started training, I never took it seriously until a certain incident happened. Anyway, I was just born lucky and ended up a knight because of it.” Cath gave a dry laugh, noticing the displeased expression from Kaho, “Sorry, I hope I haven’t sullied the mood. Rather pitiful for a knight you might say.” 

“I don’t think you’re pitiful at all,” Kaho said. 

Cath held her breath, "Pardon?"

“You weren’t born a knight, you were born as Cath and CHOSE to become a knight. You left the squadrons because you saw injustice and wanted to stop the cause of it, if you ask me, you have the spirit of a knight and a heart of gold for taking the righteous path, even if it means making the harder decisions. You're a rare catch, a strong beautiful woman facing the impossible."

"..." Cath merely took a sip of her tea, "If you were a male, I'd assume you were flirting with me. I've never met any suitors truly interested in me."

“Really?" Kaho said, surprised, "Well if it means anything from a stranger you've met this tiresome night, I think you're quite brave and have the qualities of a splendid knight."

Cath giggled, "Well if I may say so, I think you'll change history even more so with your knowledge in holy magic and blessings." She stretched, "I prefer to rest for now."

Kaho stared at the knight, pondering if she said something weird. In the fire and through the scratches and soot she saw a faint blush on her cheeks. 

_She must be tired from the fight, right?_

The rest of the hour had Kaho warming by the fire alongside Cath. A peaceful, fleeting, and cherished moment. 

...

_She’s in there somewhere…_

The Passiflora was tucked safely in one of her satchels. 

_This might work if I play my cards wisely. For now, I must fight!_

Kaho took her fighting stance. 

“My, my,” The Accursed Entity said, “You’re taking the stance, but can you strike down your friend? I’m reading her mind and I can say with utmost confidence, she rather not fight, she’d prefer—”

“Silence! Once I’m through with you, I’ll save Cath and these cursed lands. Upon my duty as a priestess from Lun, I, Kaho Reindol, will punish you!” 

“We’ll see, foolish priestess. Go, Cath, strike her down!” 

Cath leaped into the air and went for a downward slash. Kaho dodged the blade by a few centimeters. She countered with a holy strike to Cath’s abdomen and cheek. The knight only took a step back shaking off the impact. 

Kaho went for another strike. This time Cath parried and followed the motion with a downward slash. Her blade struck the dust and cobblestone. 

In the dust, Kaho threw the small vial. It landed and crashed against Cath’s face. 

The fog spread and the knight inhaled and coughed. The poison seeped into her system. Kaho struck with her leaf one last time. 

Cath tried to parry or at least block, but her body became rigid and her movement was too stiff. Cath arced and fell, panting as she slid against the wall. 

Cath fell to her knees and dropped to the red-stained mat. 

“Paralyze Poison, expensive but worth it,” Kaho said to herself. 

All was left was the Accursed Entity. 

“So you somewhat pulled it off. Well, I suppose I shall fight you myself. Just so you know, you stand no chance.”

The Accursed Entity shifted form, taking a large portion of the room with a tattered cape fluttering in the winds. She felt goosebumps rise and her mouth become dry from the sight alone. Wiping the sweat off her face could leave an opening. 

_S-so this is its true form...I can do this!_

"What, not going to summon any minions?" Kaho asked, taking her stance once more.

"I can't summon what was hit with that leaf of yours."

_So the reason why the others aren’t resurrected is because of the holy magic I used with my leaf! It counters the dark magic this thing uses._

The gears in her brain turned in motion. 

_“To save Cath from being resurrected in such a manner again, I have…”_ She recalled the item Cath had left for her. _“Ah…the Passiflora.”_

The grumbling and groans of the knight could be heard.

“K-Kaho…” Cath mustered her strength to speak. “I’m…sorry.” 

_To still speak while in such a state and under the control of that thing, your will is truly commendable, Cath._

Suddenly, two spirals of chaotic energy appeared beside the Entity. They exploded, blasting Kaho against the wall. 

"AH!" She groaned. 

_So, th-the fight’s already begun. Fine by me!_

Kaho stood back up, the pain throughout her body kept her awake. She focused her attention on the Accursed Entity. 

_That’s it! She can’t move when casting her attacks! If I know where it’ll go, I can just dodge and strike while she casts._

She vanished, only to appear from the ground and launch another explosive spell. 

A line of explosives bounced from the ceiling to the floor in a rapid fashion. Kaho barely rolled out of harm’s way. 

For reasons beyond her knowledge, the Entity did the same attacks repeatedly, allowing Kaho to damage the Entity beyond its expectations. 

“Not bad, Priestess, now let’s see how you handle this!” 

This time, two diagonal streams orbited around the Accurst. The rumbling sent shivers down her spine. 

As another stream of spells bounced everywhere, Kaho leaped into the air and dodged successfully. 

**“RAH!”** Accursed imploded, sending Kaho crashing into the ground. 

The skids and blood made her light-headed. 

“That’s it!” Accurst vanished again. 

This time, there was a moment of silence. 

??? Kaho had used the last of her Bellflowers.

The ground rumbled, and rocks floated, the air rippled with dark energy, and the center of the room absorbed the energy. 

A purple flame inside a golden and rusted birdcage revealed itself, a large open hook, and a purple drape surrounded the purple flame but left it open. It spoke: **“This is my final form!”**

Two spells were sent to the sides, it exploded taking a large amount of room, but as it touched the Accursed, the Accursed took no damage. 

Clouds of grey smoke fumed from all sides as the Accursed cried in agony. It burst and fell into the ground and its previous form resembled how the Queen looked. 

The dark aura of the entity stirred and stayed as it remained on the floor, defeated and trapped. 

_This is what I've waited for!_

The Lun Priest kneeled and prayed, light surrounded her and made its way towards the fallen knight and then to the defeated Accursed Queen. 

The darkness began to leave the Queen’s body and transfer into Kaho. The same was said for the curse that spread throughout the lands, being absorbed into the Lun priest. 

_This is how it must end._

Her eyes had one last look at her comrade before the darkness took her vision. 

_Cath, thank you. Take care of this Kingdom. May the goddess bless these lands once more._


	2. The Next Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Kaho's actions.

A familiar sensation of fatigue and injuries settled as she heard the birds chirping. From head to toe, her body felt as if she fell into a pit of cactuses and doused in lemon juice then pushed down a flight of stairs. 

_Ngh… w-where am I, what happened?! Am I alive? How?_

She got up from the ground, somehow able to move after the final battle. Not too far from her position she noticed the Queen, unconscious and breathing quietly. Her chest rose and lowered with each breath taken and royal attire in tatters. 

As she moved her hands, she felt a familiar item in her hands; a white flower that specializes in healing extreme wounds. 

It was the Passiflora. 

_This must’ve saved me, somehow._

The Queen’s Chamber no longer had the deathly aura it once had, and no signs of monsters were around either. 

She checked beyond the castle windows and saw a peaceful blue sky with clouds of shapes and no particular form all scattered about as if nothing happened. 

The bubbling excitement and realization had hit its peak. A tired expression slowly shifted into a bubbly and victorious smile. 

“WOOOOO! We did it, Karst is free!” She cheered loudly, her voice echoed throughout the room, thrusting her fists triumphantly, “The curse is gone! We survived, look, Ka—”

She spun around the room and checked again. She limped while searching for clues. Her body felt empty, her throat dry, and to much dread, Kaho was nowhere to be found. 

Between the Queen and her, she noticed the only remnant of her friend; a large sacred leaf that her comrade used as a weapon throughout her journey. 

Her eyes began to well and tears slid down her cheeks and realized the cost of her friend’s action. She dropped to her knees, ignoring the pain, holding the leaf gently. “You, you knew this would happen, didn’t you?” 

She asked in a quieter voice, knowing no one would respond, not even the slumbering queen of Karst. She thought of a simple sentence, one that she should’ve said if she knew this would happen, one simple sentence that would’ve caused her friend to smile that gentle smile of hers back when they huddled near the fires.

_… Kaho Reinol, I’ll never forget you…_

… 

**When the curse from the east reached the village of Lun, a priestess was sent on a sacred mission to seal it away.**

**The priestess triumphed over the dark, stopping the spread of the curse by drawing it into her body, but she faded away in the process.**

**Now only a faint memory of her story remains, passed on as tradition.**

**Even so, her spirit of determination lingers on, guiding younger priestess towards finding peace.**


	3. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A year has passed, and a new adventure awaits.

_Has it been one year since Kaho sacrificed herself?_

Cath stared at the Sacred Leaf she’d preserved and framed in her room. She stretched and yawned. She flipped another page with a bored expression and disinterest.

_Time does fly. With all the monsters wiped, crops grown, and infrastructured fixed, it's been the first time since I've had a free day. Is this really how I'm going to spend it? Is this really how I spent my days before?_

The sounds of knocking on her wooden door alerted her. 

"Come in." 

In came a woman, streaks of grey hair in her brown and tied hair, she curtsied at the entrance.

“Lady Cath, you have a visitor.” The Handmaid Sharon announced. 

“Is it another noble attempting to court me?” Cath set her book aside. 

"She doesn’t appear to be any noble, I believe. She claims you owe her an afternoon of tea and hosting." 

"Tea and hosting?" 

_It can't possibly be…no that can't be._

"She's by the entrance of the church. I can send the visitor away if you desire." 

"No worries. I'll meet this guest of ours." 

Cath checked her outfit, her casual outfit consisting of a tunic and easy to maneuver pants. She had her satchel and strapped her sword to her hip in case she met any dangers. 

One can never be too unprepared.

Exiting her room, leaving the corridors and barracks of the castle, she went to the Town Plaza, near the Church.

She sped through the crowds of merchants and farmers selling and consumers buying and parents haggling. 

"If it isn't lady Cath!" 

"Heya Capt. Cath!"

Cath turned, it was two survivors of the outbreak, the robust statured man and his ever so wise wife. From what they told her, they encountered Kaho whilst barricaded and hidden from the monsters. It turns out they were distant relatives of the Queen, and taking a vacation at Karst, as coincidentally that sounds. 

As things stood, they handled the remnants of the noble faction in the Queen's absence and now managed what the Queen usually did. Cath scanned the area, her hand on her hilt. 

“Don’t worry, the area was checked earlier. We’re safe.” the robust man said.

"I see. Good Noon, Sir Albus, Lady Phoebe." Cath bowed to each. 

"How is the Queen?" Cath said in a hushed voice. 

"Straight to the point as always, eh?" Albus gave a warm smile.

"She's still unwell and no signs of change,” Lady Phoebe said, “She's also being watched 24/7 as requested,"

"As for—"

"No signs of the witch Elisa Cotillard either," Albus shrugged, "Like a needle in a haystack."

"I see, thank you for paying for the information brokers. Not even my paycheck can cover all their fees combined.”

“Pay no mind Lady Cath, focus on what you need to do, and we’ll handle things here.”

“Speakin’ of which, where ya headin’?” Albus asked, “Coulda swore you bought food for the knights already.”

“I have a visitor it seems,” Cath curtsied, and running towards the church, “May the goddess bless you!”

… 

She made it to the entrance of the Church. She gulped, unsure if her eyes were playing tricks. 

By the entrance of the church, there she saw a familiar priestess from Lun, sitting on a bench. Beside the priestess was the brown-haired prisoners that was tucked away during the cursed night, and in front of the two ladies was the butler from the Church, Geoffrey. 

She paused and rubbed her eyes. This reality remained true. The day seemed so clear and much brighter now. Her hair was a bit longer now, her outfit looked slightly different, the red symbol that was on the hood was now on the left side of her robe, but appearance aside, it was still Kaho. 

_It’s Kaho!_ Cath found herself smiling like the day she officially became a knight. 

In mid-conversation the Lun priestess paused to stare at the gawking knight. She stood up and respectfully curtsied. “Cath, it has been too long.”

The familiar warmth in her heart came again. Kaho looked up to see Cath standing still. She raised a somewhat confused expression. 

_Right, manners. I have those too!_

Cath lowered herself into a bow, closing her eyes, and slowly rose, "I do agre—gah!" 

Kaho pounced and hugged Cath, her arms tightly wrapped around her. 

Cath returned the hug, enthusiastically, dropping formalities, ignoring the eyes of merchants and nuns nearby.

“Never knew Kaho was such a charmer.” the ex-prisoner teased. 

“Please Miss Eri, let them rekindle,” Geoffrey said. 

The hug was broken apart. Kaho gave an unpleasant expression at Eri. 

Cath asked, "After that night, what happened to you? Don’t leave a single detail.”

“It’s a long story,” Kaho said, returning to a somewhat stoic and serious expression. “Eri, I’d like to spend some time with Cath for the rest of the afternoon if that’s fine with you.”

“No problem, I need to check on my informants in this City. I’ll meet you by the Karst front entrance, once evening sets.” Eri said, stretching, “I might see if any merchants have anything worthwhile too. Cya later, Kaho, Geoffrey, Cath.”

Eri vanished in the crowd of people in the Plaza. 

"Ladies, I shall make my departure. Lady Kaho, I do pray that your journey bears fruit." He bowed. "Lady Cath, I hope your dreams do come true, both for Karst's sake and for your heart." With that, he coolly withdrew himself. 

“I know a good tea shop nearby, we can catch up there,” Cath said. 

“Lead the way,” Kaho said. 

… 

Cath sat in front of the Kaho, she set her sword aside. The table in front had tea, fresh strawberry tart, and a sandwich. Around them was a small tea shop that was somewhat empty aside from a few sitting customers. The room was scented with vanilla and fresh pastries. 

"So how did you meet Eri?" Cath asked. 

Kaho stared, "I didn't expect that to be the first thing you'd asked." 

"W-well, it just seems unlike you to have a companion with you. When we first met, you were by yourself, and in that fight, you were still by yourself. Like a lone wolf."

"Circumstances led me to the journey alone. As for Eri, I first met Eri in the dungeon, rescuing her, she escaped Karst to the forest. As for her character, I’d say she’s wily as a Snow Fox, reliable, funny, kind, and has a lot on her plate. She’s quite skilled with her hands and a quick tongue that's helped me more times than I can count." 

"I'm happy to hear you have a reliable companion." Cath said, "Rather unorthodox of a priestess and thief to—"

"Eri is no thief, she merely has the skills of one… and done past deeds of one, but it was due to circumstances, I can vouch for that."

“Alright new subject,” Cath asked, taking a sip of the sweetened tea. “how did you survive that night?”

“I could ask the same about you.” Kaho answered, “I used a good amount of holy magic to dispel any dwindling dark energy inside you. Though, I suppose the Passiflora could be why you’re alive now.”

“How? I thought it could only restore physical damage.”

“They do.” Kaho paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts, “But my theory is that the Passiflora healed the physical wounds from your fight against me and the last fight before you first died. That thing brought and kept your soul attached to the body before it could pass on entirely I suppose. The Sacred Leaf beat out any remaining dark magic, and the holy magic I used cleared any anomalies that remained. Thus, you’re well. Talk about the Goddess being merciful.” 

“So I,” Cath took a deep breath, understanding what happened, “cheated death?” 

“No, but you were brought back to life at least. With no permanent damages, I’d say.” Kaho had a sigh of relief.

“So how did you survive then, Kaho?” 

“Not sure, all that dark energy should’ve destroyed me. Well, it did but I ended up somewhere in the forest where I found one of the Relic shards. Eri was the one who found me, it was an… interesting interaction.” Kaho blushed, pushing an embarrassing nostalgia away, “When Eri found me, she told me it’d been about a month since the incident. I apologize that I didn’t contact you sooner.” 

“No, you didn’t even know if I was alive either,” Cath said. “So what did you do once Eri found you?”

“I spent the next few months or so regaining my strength, and I headed back to Lun with Eri. The shrine master told me many frightening things.”

Cath gulped, “Such as?” 

“There may be a chance that the Accursed Entity could be resummoned.”

“!” 

“While I was still recovering, the shrine master sent one of the other higher up Priestess, Mia Seeker, to find out how the Queen contacted the higher power. Mia found documentations and an eye witness when the Queen decided to summon the Entity; there was also a witch who led her every step of the way with the ritual.”

“How would Mia find out? The Queen’s been in a coma ever since the curse was ridden away. W-why would the Queen even need to summon such evils?” 

“Stated by the reports, it was to protect the land of Karst and its people, but the entity wasn’t a holy spirit. Do you remember what happened to the enemy nation closeby?”

“Which one are you referring to exactly?” Cath asked, “There’s Windol to the east, Beq to the West, and Culv to the north of here if I’m not mistaken.” 

“Any of the three remain capable. Rumors of either three invading were slowly becoming likely to be true given the frequent assassination attempts. By ending the Queen here, this city would be in disarray while the nations would invade.”

“What did the Queen ask of the Entity, does it say?”

Kaho held two fingers up, “Either for power or peace.”

“Karst has been viewed as the weakest of the four nations, so a bit of power could scare away any threats,” Cath said. “Now that you mention it, I did recall hearing that the Queen failed to create the peace treaties, not long before the curse took over.”

“You mentioned the Queen is in a coma, correct?”

“Yes, ever since that you used the holy spell,” Cath said.

“We’ll have to find a way to heal the Queen.” 

“Did the documents say how she summoned the Entity?”

“I’m afraid not. Perhaps Cotillard can tell us.” 

“Speaking of the witch, my informants have yet to find her.”

“Perhaps she’s still hiding back at the--”

“Checked, no traces of cats or her books.” she sighed, “Absolutely ransacked.”

"Then we'll need to find her as well amongst the other things to find. She might be the only one who knows how to prevent anymore dark summonings." Kaho said, “She’s the next best lead for that.” Kaho sighed, massaging her temples, “This is going to be a long journey.”

“Journey? Speaking of, would you like to travel alongside Eri and me? I’d feel more comfortable on the roads with you fighting with us.”

"I’ll gladly join you. I’ll spend an hour preparing my gear ready, preparing money, and food. Who knows how long this journey will take." 

"Very well, I'll meet you at Karst's entrance alongside Eri." 

… 

Before leaving her room, Cath double-checked her equipment. She hummed as everything was accounted for: first aid, rations, money, supplies for camping, and such. She looked at Kaho's Sacred Leaf, framed in its holy glory. 

_I'll leave it here just in case._

Exiting her room, she noticed Headmaid Sharon, Vice-Captain Penny, and the knight's squad standing sharply. 

"I'll pray every night that you'll make it back safely, Captain Cath." Headmaid Sharon bowed, "Your parents would be so proud of you." 

"Captain Cath, I'll do everything in my power to not disgrace the Royal Knights of Karst as the new Captain!" She turned her head sideways, "Team!"

The squad stood proudly and raised their swords in unison, "Farewell Captain Cath! Honor to Karst! May the Goddess grant her Blessings!" 

Tears began to flow, “I'm sorry I have to leave abruptly, but this is something I must do, for the future of Karst!" Cath said. “I’m sorry for leaving when everything’s still disarrayed.”

“Nonsense Lady Cath, you helped rebuilt the knights and protected the villagers and crops.” Headmaid Sharon reassured. 

“All we did was set up defenses and cut down any lingering monsters.” Vice-Captain Penny said. “You’re done plenty, we’ll keep things together in your steed!”

Cath wiped the tears as they appeared, "Everyone, I'll do my best!" She departed from the group, "Until we meet again!" 

...

Cath made it to Karst's entrance where Eri and Kaho stood patiently. 

_The first step to a new journey._

She doubled her resolve to approach them, taking the first step into her new journey. 

"All prepared?" Kaho asked. 

"Everything that might be needed," Cath nodded, "What did I miss?" 

"We were thinking if dividing and conquering would work best instead, there are so many places we need to investigate after all…" Eri explained. 

"The more ground we cover, the faster we might find the answers we need." Eri continued, "but…" 

"But?" Cath said. 

"But if we meet an opponent too strong to handle by ourselves or get overwhelmed, the other two won't know," Kaho explained, "We could have several rendezvous throughout the land." 

"But what if one of us arrives later than expected and there's no way to leave any notes," Cath said. 

The three ladies paused. 

Cath couldn't help but notice how adorable Kaho's concentration face looked. 

Finally, Kaho spoke, "I think going together is the best way to go." 

"What makes you say that?" Eri asked. 

"When nightfalls, we can take shifts while the other two sleep, if there are monsters too strong to fight alone, we can use teamwork to take it down," Kaho reasoned, "I can handle the curses, Cath can take on the front in group fights, and you can handle the locks or any narrow places that neither of us can reach." 

"Well, if you put it like that, I suppose there's no arguing from me. Any thoughts Cath?" 

"I agree with Kaho, strength in numbers has its advantage compared to checking these areas by ourselves," Cath said. 

"Good, with that settled, let's head out," Cath said. "Let the search begin."

"This will be fun." Eri smiled. 

"May the Goddess bless us." Kaho prayed. 

And so the three ladies set off, their goals: find how to cure the Ex-Queen’s broken mind, find out she summoned the Accursed Entity, and seek the Witch Elisa Cotillard on how to prevent any more summonings. 

Who will they encounter? What hardships will they overcome? Will they succeed in their journey? Only time will tell as their legend unfolds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I understand if some readers aren’t happy with this one ending on a cliffhanger, but some adventures are better left to the imagination than told. Aside from that, I hope you all enjoyed, feel free to leave a review of your thoughts.


End file.
